Apparatus and method for establishing and growing vegetation in arid environments

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for cultivating vegetation at an arid location includes rooting immature vegetation in a mat combined with a super absorbent polymer (“SAP”) and, in embodiments, fertilizer, sand, and/or soil; placing the mat at the arid location; and covering the mat with a perforated, transparent or semi-transparent cover. Most or all of the apparatus can be biodegradable or removable, and the sand or soil can be similar to indigenous sand or soil. A water barrier can be placed below the mat. The cover can be placed on or suspended above the mat. SAP, seeds, and/or additional water barriers can be placed between mats in a stack. The opacity of the cover can be increased to emulate shade from natural vegetation. A water distribution system can be included for continued support of the vegetation, and can include a water reservoir and/or at least one solar still.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/476,017, filed Mar. 31, 2017. Application Ser. No. 15/476,017 is acontinuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/203,872, filed Mar.11, 2014. Application Ser. No. 14/203,872 claims the benefit of U.S.provisional application 61/786,721, filed Mar. 15, 2013. All of theseapplications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety forall purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to methods for growing vegetation, and morespecifically to apparatus and methods for establishing and growingvegetation in arid environments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

While arid environments such as deserts and semi-deserts are oftensomewhat inhospitable to vegetation, nevertheless there are varieties ofsucculents and other vegetation that can survive and even thriveunassisted in all but the harshest environments. Under certaincircumstances, it can be desirable to introduce new vegetation into anarid environment so as to stabilize the underlying sand or soil, reducethe prevalence of blown dust and sand, beautify the landscape, and/orre-establish an ecosystem after it has been damaged by industrialactivity or by a natural disaster. Unfortunately, the initialintroduction of such vegetation can be difficult and time consuming, dueto the poor water retention of the sand or soil, the slow growth that istypical of desert and semi-desert vegetation, and the fragility ofimmature vegetation until it has established a sufficient root system toallow it to obtain water and to resist wind and excess sun exposure.

Furthermore, it may be desirable to grow vegetation such as edible foodplants in arid environments while minimizing the cost and laborassociated with initiating and maintaining the vegetation.

Of course, scarcity of water is the feature that more or less defines anarid environment. When an arid location is devoid of mature vegetationthis scarcity of water is typically multiplied, because hightemperatures and the prevalence of unshaded sunshine can tend to quicklyevaporate any moisture that is present. In addition, the ground in anarid environment is often very sandy, such that any precipitation thatfalls as rain or forms on the surface as dew tends to be absorbedquickly into the sand, wherein it settles to a depth that is beyondreach of the root systems of vegetation.

Once vegetation is well established in an arid location, it can play asignificant autogenic role in improving the environment by blockingdirect sunlight and by capturing and retaining available moisture beforeit is absorbed or evaporated. Furthermore, over time, decomposingvegetation can reduce the porosity of the soil and thereby furtherimprove the retention of water near the surface. However, evennewly-planted vegetation that is adapted to arid environments often hasa very difficult time surviving until it has matured. And, of course,food plants and other vegetation that is not adapted to aridenvironments requires continued support when cultivated in an aridenvironment.

Existing methods for introducing and growing vegetation in aridecosystems are typically expensive and risky, and the benefits are oftenshort-lived. Current approaches to arid ecosystem rehabilitation areextensions of traditional agronomic technologies developed under morehospitable climates, and require intensive tending and excessive use ofirrigation to have any chance of success. Often, such an expenditure oftime and resources is not practical, and serves as a barrier to therestoration and/or improvement of arid environments, and to farming andother cultivation of non-arid vegetation in arid environments.

Furthermore, traditional approaches to introducing such vegetationtypically require construction and use of extensive irrigation systemsand other structures and maintenance equipment that are not natural tothe environment. Even if they are subsequently removed, theenvironmental damage that is left behind can remain for an extendedperiod of time.

What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus and method for introducingand growing vegetation in arid environments while minimizing bothinitial and long term maintenance requirements, including water usage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an apparatus and method for introducing andgrowing vegetation in arid environments while minimizing maintenancerequirements, including water usage. One general aspect of the inventionis an apparatus and method for introducing new vegetation that iscompatible with arid environments into an arid location with little orno initial maintenance period, and without introducing permanent,artificial structures into the environment. A second general aspect ofthe invention is an apparatus and method for cultivating non-arid foodplants and/or other vegetation in an arid environment while minimizingboth initial and long term maintenance requirements, including waterusage.

According to the disclosed invention, a mat is prepared and isimpregnated with a “super absorbent polymer” or “SAP.” In the firstgeneral aspect, the mat is biodegradable, and in some of theseembodiments the mat includes coir. In various embodiments of the firstgeneral aspect the SAP is biodegradable, being for example acellulose-based or starch-based polymer.

In some embodiments, fertilizer is included with the mat. And in variousembodiments at least one of sand and soil is included with the mat. Insome embodiments of the first general aspect where sand or soil isincluded, the included sand or soil has a composition that is similar tosand or soil that is indigenous to the arid location.

Vegetation is allowed to sprout and/or take root in the mat. In someembodiments, the vegetation is initially sprouted and rooted undercontrolled conditions remote from the arid location, and then the mat istransferred to the arid location. In other embodiments, the vegetationsprouts and/or roots after the mat is placed at the arid location.

Once the mat is placed at the arid location, it is covered by aperforated cover sheet that is transparent or semi-transparent. Thecover sheet serves as a physical barrier to water vapor beneath thecover that is formed by evaporating dew and by any moisture that isevaporated from the ground or mat, so that the water vapor tends tocondense on the under-side of the cover sheet, and to drip back onto themat, where it is absorbed by the SAP.

In some embodiments the cover is placed directly onto the mat, wherebythe growing vegetation lifts the cover, and in some embodimentseventually breaks through the cover. In other embodiments, the cover issupported above the mat by a support structure, such as a plurality ofstakes. The stakes or other support structure can be ventilated aroundits edges so as to avoid excess “greenhouse” heating of the vegetation.The perforations can be made in locations where depressions in the coversheet will naturally form between the stakes or other supports, so thatany rain that falls onto the cover sheet will drain through theperforations and be absorbed by the SAP in the underlying mat. Inembodiments of the first general aspect, the cover sheet is made of abiodegradable cellulosic material. Similarly, if included, the stakes orother support structure of the cover sheet can be made of abiodegradable material such as coir or cellulose.

For use in areas of intense sunlight, the opacity of the cover sheet canbe increased by printing a pattern onto the sheet, adding a dye to thesheet material, or by any other means known in the art, so as to reducethe intensity of light reaching the mat.

Embodiments further include a water barrier placed below the mat whichprevents any water that is not retained by the mat and SAP from reachingthe underlying soil or sand. This feature can be especially helpful insandy locations where any moisture that reaches the underlying sand willbe quickly absorbed and lost. The water barrier can be a plastic sheet.In embodiments of the first general aspect, the water barrier can becellulosic or otherwise biodegradable.

Some embodiments include a plurality of mats stacked on top of eachother, with SAP and/or seeds located in between. Seeds germinatingbetween mats thereby experience an environment similar to seeds that areplanted below ground, which do not encounter sunlight until they havesprouted and grown upward through the soil. In some of theseembodiments, further layers of water barrier sheets and/or perforatedsheets are also placed between the mats.

A significant feature of the first general aspect of the invention isthat most or all of the apparatus is biodegradable or removable, so thatthere is no lasting effect on the natural appearance of the environmentafter the mat has biodegraded and the vegetation is fully established.Depending on the embodiment, elements of the fertilizer and/or the SAPmay not degrade as quickly as the mat. However, any SAP and/orfertilizer that does not biodegrade will mix easily with the underlyingsoil or sand, such that they enhance the quality of the soil or sand anddo not affect the appearance of the landscape. If sand or soil isincluded with the mat, it is selected in some embodiments to be similarto sand or soil that naturally occurs at the arid location, so that thesand or soil does not change the appearance or properties of thelocation.

In the second general aspect of the invention, vegetation is cultivatedthat requires continued watering, shade, and/or other support, such thatthe mat(s), cover sheet(s) and other components are typically notbiodegradable. Some of these embodiments further include an irrigationsystem that can deliver water on an on-going basis to the mat (or mats)from an external water reservoir and/or one or more “solar stills” thatextract water from the underlying soil using solar heat. In some ofthese embodiments, the mat (or mats) is/are made from a material thatnaturally wicks the provided water throughout the mat, ensuring that theSAP and the vegetation is uniformly wetted.

A first general aspect of the present invention is a method forcultivating vegetation at an arid location. The method includesproviding a mat, providing a super-absorbent polymer (“SAP”) cooperativewith the mat, providing seeds of a selected variety of vegetationincorporated in the mat, placing the mat at the arid location, coveringthe mat by placing a frangible cover made from a transparent orsemi-transparent material directly onto and in physical contact withsubstantially all of an upper surface of the mat. The frangible coverforms a physical barrier configured to cause water vapor beneath thecover to condense on an underside of the cover and drip onto the mat. Itis perforated at locations that are spaced apart, thereby allowing rainthat falls onto the cover to drain through the perforations and beabsorbed by the SAP that is cooperative with the mat. The method furtherincludes causing the seeds to germinate and to take root in the mat asgerminated vegetation, said germinated vegetation, as it grows upward,initially lifting the frangible cover and then breaking through thefrangible cover.

In embodiments, the mat is a woven mat.

Any of the above embodiments can further include fertilizer incorporatedinto the mat.

Any of the above embodiments can further include sand or soil includedwith the mat. In some of these embodiments the sand or soil is similarto sand or soil that is present at the arid location.

In any of the above embodiments, the frangible cover can bebiodegradable.

Any of the above embodiments can further include placing a water barrierat the arid location below the mat. In some of these embodiments, thewater barrier is biodegradable.

Any of the above embodiments can further include providing a waterdistribution system cooperative with the mat, and providing water to thevegetation during the cultivation thereof via the water distributionsystem. In some of these embodiments the water distribution systemincludes a water reservoir. In any of these embodiments the waterdistribution system can include at least one solar still. And some ofthese embodiments further include placing waste vegetation in the solarstill so that moisture is extracted from the waste vegetation anddistributed to the vegetation that is rooted in the mat.

A second general aspect of the present invention is an apparatus forcultivating vegetation at an arid location. The apparatus include a mat,a super-absorbent polymer (“SAP”) cooperative with the mat, seedsincorporated in the mat, and a frangible cover made from a transparentor semi-transparent material covering the mat, said frangible coverbeing placed directly onto the mat and being in direct physical contactwith the mat. The frangible cover forms a physical barrier configured tocause water vapor beneath the cover to condense on an underside of thecover and drip onto the mat. The frangible cover is perforated atlocations that are spaced apart, thereby allowing rain that falls ontothe cover to drain through the perforations and be absorbed by the SAPthat is cooperative with the mat, and it is configured such that asvegetation resulting from germination of the seeds incorporated in themat grows upward, it is able to penetrate through the frangible cover.

In embodiments, the mat is a woven mat.

In any of the above embodiments, the mat can be biodegradable. In someof these embodiments, the biodegradable mat includes coir. In any ofthese embodiments, the vegetation can be compatible with the aridlocation.

Any of the above embodiments can further include fertilizer in the mat.

Any of the above embodiments can further include at least one of sandand soil included with the mat. In some of these embodiments theincluded sand or soil is similar in appearance to sand or soil that isindigenous to the arid location.

In any of the above embodiments, the SAP can be biodegradable. In someof these embodiments, the SAP is a cellulose-based or starch-basedpolymer.

In any of the above embodiments, the frangible cover can bebiodegradable.

In any of the above embodiments, the mat can be included in a stack ofmats. Some of these embodiments further include a water barrier includedbetween a pair of adjacent mats in the stack of mats.

Any of the above embodiments can further include a water distributionsystem cooperative with the mat. In some of these embodiments the waterdistribution includes a water reservoir. And in any of these embodimentsthe water distribution system can include a solar still.

The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and,in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings,specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that thelanguage used in the specification has been principally selected forreadability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope ofthe inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a coir fiber mat used in an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a perforated, transparent cover in an embodimentof the present invention

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the mat of FIG. 1 having been impregnatedwith SAP (not visible) and having vegetation that is compatible with anarid location sprouted and rooted therein under controlled conditions;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mat and vegetation of FIG. 3,showing them in place on an arid location;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the mat and vegetation of FIG. 4 coveredby the cover of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the arid location of FIG. 5 shown afterthe vegetation has been established in the underlying sand and soil, themat has biodegraded, and the cover and support structure have beenremoved;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an embodiment that includes a waterbarrier beneath the mat, and wherein the transparent cover is frangibleand is placed directly onto the mat;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 shown after thevegetation has sprouted and broken through the transparent cover;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an embodiment that includes a plurality ofstacked mats with SAP, seeds, and a water barrier in between;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the assembled embodiment of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a mat that includes a water distribution systemaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an embodiment similar to FIG. 5 butincluding the water distribution system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a solar still;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the solar still of FIG. 13installed in the center of the mat of FIG. 11 and supplying water to theirrigation system in place of the FIG. 11 water reservoir, where thetransparent cover has been omitted from the figure for clarity ofillustration;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the mat, irrigation system, and solarstill of FIG. 14 shown with the transparent cover and surroundingvegetation included in the figure; and

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of an embodiment of themethod of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is an apparatus and method for introducing andgrowing vegetation in arid environments while minimizing maintenancerequirements, including water usage. One general aspect of the inventionis an apparatus and method for introducing new vegetation that iscompatible with arid environments into an arid location with little orno initial maintenance period, and without introducing permanent,artificial structures into the environment. A second general aspect ofthe invention is an apparatus and method for cultivating non-arid foodplants and/or other vegetation in an arid environment while minimizingboth initial and long term maintenance requirements, including waterusage.

With reference to FIG. 1, a mat 100 is prepared and is impregnated witha “super absorbent polymer” or “SAP.” In the first general aspect, themat 100 is biodegradable, and in some of these embodiments the mat 100includes coir. In various embodiments of the first general aspect theSAP is biodegradable, being for example a cellulose-based orstarch-based polymer.

In some embodiments, fertilizer is included with the mat 100. And invarious embodiments, at least one of sand and soil is included with themat 100. In some embodiments of the first general aspect where sand orsoil is included, the included sand or soil has a composition that issimilar to sand or soil that is indigenous to the arid location.

With reference to FIG. 2, a transparent or semi-transparent cover sheet200 is prepared. In embodiments, a supporting structure such as a set ofsupport stakes 202 is configured to suspend the sheet 200 above the matand vegetation 200. Perforations 204 are made in the cover sheet 200, sothat any rain that falls onto the cover sheet will drain through theperforations and be absorbed by the SAP in the underlying mat. In theembodiment of FIG. 2, the perforations 204 are located between thestakes 202, in locations where depressions in the cover 200 sheet willnaturally form.

In some embodiments of the first general aspect, the cover sheet 200 andsupporting structure 202 are biodegradable. For example, in embodimentsthe cover sheet 200 is made of a biodegradable cellulosic material, andthe stakes 202 are made from coir or from a cellulosic substance.

At least one selected variety of vegetation 300 is allowed to sproutand/or take root in the mat. With reference to FIG. 3, in someembodiments the vegetation 300 is allowed to sprout and take root in themat 100 under controlled conditions, such as an indoor location withcontrolled temperature, humidity, and lighting 302. With reference toFIG. 4, once the vegetation 300 has taken root in the mat, the mat 100with SAP and sprouted vegetation 300 (and in embodiments fertilizer,sand, and/or soil) is transferred to the arid location 400.

With reference to FIG. 5, the combined mat, SAP, and vegetation 200 arethen covered by the perforated, biodegradable cover sheet 200. The coversheet 200 serves as a physical barrier to water vapor that is formedbelow the sheet by evaporation of dew and of any other moisture from theground 400. As a result, the water vapor tends to condense on theunder-side of the cover sheet 200, and to drip back onto the mat 100,where it is absorbed by the SAP.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the cover 200 is supported by stakes 202that are adjustable in height due to a threaded, telescopingconfiguration. Similar embodiments use other support structures that areeither fixed or adjustable in height. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, thecover 200 is elevated by the stakes 202 around its perimeter, such thatthe region below the cover 200 is ventilated, thereby avoiding excess“greenhouse” heating of the vegetation.

In some embodiments the cover 200 is transparent, as shown in FIG. 5. Insimilar embodiments, for example where there is excessive directsunshine, the opacity of the cover sheet 200 is increased by printing apattern onto the sheet 200, adding a dye to the sheet material, or byany other means known in the art, so as to reduce the intensity of lightreaching the mat and vegetation 300, thereby simulating the shade thatwould be provided by mature vegetation in an established ecosystem.

With reference to FIG. 6, in embodiments of the first general aspect ofthe invention most or all of the apparatus is biodegradable orremovable, so that there is no lasting effect on the natural appearanceof the environment after the mat 100 has biodegraded and the vegetationhas matured. In some of these embodiments, the cover sheet 200 andstakes 202 are removed after the vegetation 300 is well established,while in other embodiments the cover sheet 200 and/or stakes 202 arebiodegradable, and need not be removed. Elements of the SAP andfertilizer (in some embodiments) may not degrade as quickly as the mat100. However, any SAP and/or fertilizer that is not biodegraded will mixeasily with the underlying soil or sand 400, such that they enhance thequality of the soil or sand 400 and will not affect the appearance ofthe landscape. If sand or soil is included with the mat 100, it isselected in embodiments to be similar to sand or soil that naturallyoccurs at the arid location 400, so that the sand or soil does notchange the appearance or properties of the location 400.

FIG. 3-5 are directed to an embodiment in which the vegetation 300 isinitially sprouted and rooted in the mat 100 under controlledconditions, before the mat is placed at the arid location 400. In otherembodiments, the vegetation 300 is allowed to germinate and take root inthe mat 100 at the arid location. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of anembodiment in which the vegetation 300 is provided as seeds in the mat100, and a perforated, frangible, biodegradable cover sheet 200 isplaced directed on top of the mat 100. In this embodiment, the seedsgerminate and take root at the arid location 400, initially lifting thecover sheet 200 as they group upward, and eventually breaking throughthe frangible cover sheet 200, as shown in FIG. 8.

The embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 further includes a water barrier 700placed below the mat 100 which prevents any water that is not retainedby the mat 100 and SAP from reaching the underlying soil or sand 400.This feature can be especially helpful in sandy locations where anymoisture that reaches the underlying sand will be quickly absorbed andlost. The water barrier 700 can be a plastic sheet, and can becellulosic or otherwise biodegradable.

Embodiments of the present invention include a plurality of mats stackedon top of each other, with SAP and/or seeds are located between themats. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an embodiment that includes twobiodegradable mats 100A, 100B stacked on top of each other, where FIG. 9is an exploded view and FIG. 10 is an assembled view. In the embodimentof FIGS. 9 and 10, a layer of seeds mixed with SAP 900 is providedbetween the mats 100A, 100B, and an additional layer of SAP 902 isprovided on top of the upper mat 100B.

A water barrier 700A is provided below the mats 100A, 100B, and inaddition a second, frangible water barrier 700B is provided between themats 100A, 100B. This second water barrier 700B is smaller in size thanthe mats 100A, 100B, so that the mats 100A, 100B make direct contactwith each other around their perimeters. This allows moisture from rain,dew, etc. that is absorbed by the upper mat 100B to be wicked into thelower mat 100A, so that the seeds 900 can germinate. In similarembodiments, a perforated sheet is included between the mats 110A, 100B.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the seeds 900 germinating between mats100A, 100B thereby experience an environment that is similar to seedsthat are planted below ground, which do not encounter sunlight untilthey have sprouted and grown upward through the soil. Once the seedshave germinated and broken through the second water barrier 700A, theygrow through the upper mat 100B and come into contact with the upperlayer of SAP 902, which provides an additional source of water as thevegetation 300 continues to grow and extends into the sunlight.

In the second general aspect of the invention, vegetation 300 iscultivated that requires continued watering, shade, and/or othersupport, such that the mat(s) 100, cover sheet(s) 200 and/or othercomponents are not necessarily biodegradable. With reference to FIG. 11,in some of these embodiments an irrigation system 1100 is included withthe mat 100, and is configured to deliver water on an on-going basis tothe mat (or mats) 100 from an external water reservoir 1102. In some ofthese embodiments, the mat (or mats) 100 is/are made from a materialthat naturally wicks the provided water throughout the mat 100, ensuringthat the SAP and the vegetation 300 is uniformly wetted. FIG. 12 is aperspective view of an embodiment similar to FIG. 5 that includes anirrigation system and reservoir for ongoing cultivation of plants thatare not naturally adapted to arid environments. In such cases, even whenlong term care of the vegetation 300 is required, the apparatus andmethod of the present invention serve to minimize the time, effort andresources, including quantity of water, that are required.

In similar embodiments, the water reservoir 1102 of FIGS. 11 and 12 isaugmented or replaced by one or more “solar stills.” FIG. 13 is across-sectional view of a typical solar still 1300. In general, a solarstill 1300 comprises a well 1302 that is bounded on the bottom 1304and/or sides 1306 by surrounding soil or sand 400 that contains someamount of water. The example of FIG. 13 the well 1302 includes a hole ordepression 1308 made in the ground 400 as well as a well-head 1310 thatextends the well 1302 above ground level. Other embodiments include onlythe well head 1310 or only the hole 1308.

The well 1302 is covered by a transparent material such as a plasticsheet 1312 which allows light to enter the well 1302, but traps moisturewithin the well 1302. The transparent cover 1312 is not flat, butinstead slopes downward toward a depression in the center that defines a“lowest point” of the cover 1312, and is generally centered above thewell 1302. In the example of FIG. 13, this is accomplished simply byusing a flexible sheet of plastic as the cover 1312 and placing a stone1314 in the center. A water collection vessel 1316 is suspended in thewell directly below the “lowest point” of the cover 1312.

Accordingly, sunlight enters the well 1302 through the transparent cover1312 and heats the interior of the well according to the “greenhouse”effect. As a result, the soil immediately adjacent to the well iselevated in temperature, causing any moisture contained in thesurrounding sand or soil 400 to evaporate and to fill the well 1302 withwater vapor. Because the transparent cover 1312 is in contact with thesurrounding air, it remains near ambient temperature, and therefore islower in temperature than the air and water vapor within the well 1312.As a result, the water vapor condenses on the underside of thetransparent cover 1312, flows toward the low point in the center of thecover 1312, and drops into the collection vessel 1316 as water drops1318.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view that illustrates the solar still 1300 ofFIG. 13 installed in the center of a mat 100 in an embodiment of theinvention. Water conduits 1400 are included through which watercollected by the receptacle 1316 flows into an irrigation tubing system1100 that distributes the collected water throughout the mat 100. Forclarity of illustration, the transparent cover sheet 200 has beenomitted from FIG. 14. Features that would normally not be visiblebecause they are within the well head 1310 or under the ground 400 areshown in dashed lines.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment similar to FIG. 5 butincluding the solar still 1300 and irrigation system 1100 of FIG. 14.Only the visible components of the solar still 1300 are shown. In theembodiment of FIG. 15, the well head 1310 is tall enough to cause thestill 1300 to extend through and above the transparent cover sheet 200.In similar embodiments, the still 1300 is covered by the transparentcover sheet 200.

In embodiments, the cover 1312 of the still 1300 is removable. In someof these embodiments, waste vegetation, such as fresh clippings or otherfresh vegetative waste resulting from cultivation of the vegetation 300in the mat 100, is placed into the well 1302 of the still 1300, suchthat any moisture contained in the waste vegetation is extracted by thestill 1300 and recycled to the cultivated vegetation 300. Once all waterhas been extracted from the waste vegetation, the dried remains can beremoved and discarded or distributed to the vegetation 300 as a compostor fertilizer. In some embodiments, the dried waste vegetation remainsallowed to remain in the well 1302 to form a water-absorbent organicsoil that tends to attract and hold moisture from the surrounding soilor sand, thereby improving the efficiency of the solar still 1300.

It should be noted that, while the embodiments of FIGS. 14 and 15include only one solar still 1300, similar embodiments include aplurality of solar stills distributed at locations throughout the mat100. It should also be noted that, in embodiments, the solar still(s)can be made from biodegradable materials, similar to the stakes 202,transparent cover 200, and other components of the invention.

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram that illustrates steps included in embodimentsof the present invention. A mat 100 is prepared 1600, and an SAP isincorporated 1602 into the mat 100. In embodiments of the first generalaspect, the mat 200 is biodegradable, and can include coir. In someembodiments of the first general aspect, the SAP is also biodegradable.In embodiments, sand, soil, and/or fertilizer are also included with themat 100. Any sand or soil that is included can be similar to sand orsoil naturally found at the arid location 400. A transparent orsemi-transparent, perforated cover sheet 200 is also prepared 1604.Embodiments further include a supporting structure such as supportstakes 202. In some embodiments of the first general aspect, the coversheet 200 and/or stakes 202 are also biodegradable.

One or more varieties of vegetation 300 are selected, and are caused tosprout and take root 1606 in the biodegradable mat 100. In theembodiment of FIG. 16, this takes place under controlled conditionsbefore the mat is transferred to the arid location 400. In otherembodiments, the vegetation 300 is caused to sprout and take root in themat at the arid location 400. Once the young vegetation 300 isestablished in the mat 100, in the embodiment of FIG. 16 the mattogether with the SAP and rooted vegetation 300 is placed 1608 at thearid location 400, and is covered 1610 by the perforated, transparentcover 200 supported by the stakes 202 or other support structure, so asto allow sunlight in, as well as precipitation (through the perforations204), while trapping most of the water vapor that is evaporated from theground 400 and/or the mat 100.

Finally, the vegetation 300 is allowed to mature and take root 1616 inthe underlying sand/soil 400. In the first general aspect, the mat 100eventually biodegrades. In some embodiments of the first general aspect,the transparent cover 200 and stakes 202 or other support structure arephysically removed once the vegetation 300 is established, while inother embodiments of the first general aspect, some or all of thetransparent cover 200 and/or stakes 202 and other support structure arebiodegradable, and need not be removed once the mat 100 and cover 200are placed at the arid location 400. In similar embodiments of thesecond general aspect, the transparent cover 200 and stakes 202 or othersupport structure remain in place throughout the cultivation period ofthe vegetation 300.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthis disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention belimited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for cultivating vegetation at an aridlocation, the method comprising: providing a mat; providing asuper-absorbent polymer (“SAP”) cooperative with the mat; providingseeds of a selected variety of vegetation incorporated in the mat;placing the mat at the arid location; covering the mat by placing afrangible cover made from a transparent or semi-transparent materialdirectly onto and in physical contact with substantially all of an uppersurface of the mat: said frangible cover forming a physical barrierconfigured to cause water vapor beneath the cover to condense on anunderside of the cover and drip onto the mat; said frangible cover beingperforated at locations that are spaced apart, thereby allowing rainthat falls onto the cover to drain through the perforations and beabsorbed by the SAP that is cooperative with the mat; and causing theseeds to germinate and to take root in the mat as germinated vegetation,said germinated vegetation, as it grows upward, initially lifting thefrangible cover and then breaking through the frangible cover.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the mat is a woven mat.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the frangible cover is biodegradable.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising placing a water barrier at the arid locationbelow the mat.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the water barrier isbiodegradable.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing awater distribution system cooperative with the mat; and providing waterto the vegetation during the cultivation thereof via the waterdistribution system.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the waterdistribution system includes a water reservoir.
 8. The method of claim6, wherein the water distribution system includes at least one solarstill.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprises placing wastevegetation in the solar still so that moisture is extracted from thewaste vegetation and distributed to the vegetation that is rooted in themat.
 10. An apparatus for cultivating vegetation at an arid location,the apparatus comprising: a mat; a super-absorbent polymer (“SAP”)cooperative with the mat; seeds incorporated in the mat; and a frangiblecover made from a transparent or semi-transparent material covering anoutermost upper surface of the mat, said frangible cover being placeddirectly onto the mat and being in direct physical contact with the mat;said frangible cover forming a physical barrier configured to causewater vapor beneath the cover to condense on an underside of the coverand drip onto the mat; said frangible cover being perforated atlocations that are spaced apart, thereby allowing rain that falls ontothe cover to drain through the perforations and be absorbed by the SAPthat is cooperative with the mat; said frangible cover being configuredsuch that as vegetation resulting from germination of the seedsincorporated in the mat grows upward, it is able to penetrate throughthe frangible cover.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the mat is awoven mat.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the mat isbiodegradable.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the biodegradablemat includes coir.
 14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the SAP isbiodegradable.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the SAP is acellulose-based or starch-based polymer.
 16. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein the frangible cover is biodegradable.
 17. The apparatus of claim10, wherein the mat is included in a stack of mats.
 18. The apparatus ofclaim 17, further comprising a water barrier included between a pair ofadjacent mats in the stack of mats.
 19. The apparatus of claim 10,further comprising a water distribution system cooperative with the mat.20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the water distribution includes awater reservoir.
 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the waterdistribution system includes a solar still.